Double Review, Cyrus Haven #2 and #3
1 July 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Cyrus Haven #2, Cyrus Haven #3, fiction, Lying Beside You, Michael Robotham, Thriller, When She Was Good
When She Was Good by Michael Robotham Cyrus Haven #2
When She was Good is the second Cyrus Haven instalment and once again brings to us a story that revolves around Evie Cormac and her dark past
As the story begins Evie is back at Langford Hall and Cyrus is helping the police with enquiries into a suicide where things don’t add up. As Cyrus digs deeper the case begins to tie into Evie’s disturbing past and pretty soon it becomes apparent that the secure unit she is living in is not going to keep her protected.
I enjoyed this instalment. We learn more about Evie, particularly when the police officer who found her years ago joins Cyrus in his search for answers.
Evie is still very much a prickly pear, and with good reason tbf. She finds it difficult to trust and the fact that she is the equivalent of a human lie detector doesn’t always help. Imagine how difficult it must be to constantly be aware of those tiny little untruths that surround a person. It must be exhausting.
This series seems to be going from strength to strength.
I bought a copy from Audible. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4 stars
Lying Beside You by Michael Robotham Cyrus Haven #3
Another tense thriller in this series.
Cyrus is now a firm and integral part of the police serious crime investigations. In this instalment he will be looking into a murder and kidnapping and trying to profile the killer. At the same time Cyrus’s brother is about to return home after many years spent in a psychiatrist hospital. Elias killed his family and Cyrus discovered their bodies. This trauma was his motivation for studying psychology. Now, years later Elias is set to return to the family home. Of course he’s massively out of touch with the modern world and on top of that Evie is now sharing the house with Cyrus. Not that the two are having a relationship. Simply that Cyrus has provided a safe place for Evie to stay. The two get on well. Evie is making an attempt to change. She attends school although she isn’t totally accepted by the other students. She’s also starting a job, which is how she finds herself a witness to the potential abductor/killer.
Of course, the killer also spotted Evie and she once again finds herself at risk.
What I find really works for me with this series is the central relationship between the two main characters. There’s still a tentative feel to the friendship and the two are still working things out. Evie isn’t too keen to have Elias at the house. The two seem to have a mutual mistrust of each other and an almost competitive streak vying for Space and attention.
Once again we have a thrilling murder investigation that cranks up the tension and threat. At the same time Cyrus is still on the hunt for more information about Evie that ultimately puts them both in danger.
I really enjoyed this instalment. I think that having the opportunity to read this and the previous instalment so close together also worked really well for me. These are such intriguing and layered stories. A story within a story. Well written with a dose of seedy underworld that gives the story additional darkness.
I bought a copy from Audible. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4 of 5 stars
We Used To Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
17 June 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Books, fiction, Horror, Marcus Kliewer, The Summer of Horror, We Used to Live Here
My Five Word TL:DR Review : This Is One Scary Book
Wow this book. My mind is blown. This is one scary read. I believe this is being made into a movie and at this point, I’m not sure I actually have the courage to watch it and, this is made even more impressive by the fact this is a debut.
I’m not, going to over elaborate about the plot. The gist. A young couple, Eve and Charlie have bought a house with the intention of quickly restoring it to make a profit. However, things take a nasty turn when a family shows up one evening, the father claims this was his childhood home and wonders if he could quickly show his wife and children around. My immediate reaction would be a resounding ‘no’ but Eve is a people pleaser and even though the little voice inside her head is shouting ‘no’ she lets the family in. Well, from there things go all wrong., but you’ll have to read this to find out why.
What did I love about this?
Well, as I mentioned above, this book has the scare factor in spades. And this is horror without a question of a doubt. A creepy house. A dark basement. An attic with secret nooks and crannies. Plenty of unexplained shock elements. And just what the heck is wrong with this family? Also, your basic fear elements such as torches and lights cutting out at the most inopportune moments, things being misplaced or simply changing in design, bad weather and an ever increasing feeling of intense dread.
Eve and Charlie are a great couple. I love their dynamic and their feelings for each other are plain to see. Charlie is very forthright and not shy about making things plain, whilst Eve has a constant niggling voice running through her head that questions everything and makes the fear even more real. She relies on Charlie to be the firm hand.
The writing is really good. I was completely sucked into this story. There are little snippets of strange occurrences that have taken place that feed into the dread about the house and I felt myself really caring about Eve and Charlie. Plus feeling total dread concerning the ‘family’ and the desire to get them out of the house at any cost.
I don’t really want to say too much more. I loved this. I’m not absolutely sure I understand everything but I’m not sure that’s the point. For me the house seems to be some sort of focal point for strange, hauntings, possessions, alternate realities and mind bending creepiness.
In conclusion. This book has set up home inside my head and at the moment, much like Eve and her unwelcome visitors, I’m unable to shift it. Twisted and unexpected with a shocker ending that has pickled my tiny brain. I could read this again.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 5 freaked out stars
Friday Face Off : Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell
7 June 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books, fiction, Friday Face off, Love Letters to a Serial Killer, reading, Tasha Coryell
Today I’m returning to the Friday Face Off, originally created by Books by Proxy). I’ve missed these for the past few months and so would like to get back to comparing covers (and hopefully I will be updating this page with a new banner. This is an opportunity to look at a book of your choice and shine the spotlight on the covers. Of course this only works for those books that have alternative covers (although sometimes I use this to look at a series of books to choose a favourite). . So, if you have a book that has alternative covers, highlight them and choose your favourite. If you’re taking part it would be great if you leave a link so I can take a look at what you’ve chosen.
This week I’ve chosen a book that’s already on my shelves. This is a title that feels like a sideways step in terms of my usual reading but it intrigued me. Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell. Here are the covers:
I really like both covers this week. But I had to go with the reflection in the knife. I couldn’t help myself.
Which is your favourite?
Join me next week in highlighting one of your reads with different covers.
‘#The Summer of Horror’
5 June 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Bless Your Heart, Book Reviews, Books Bones & Buffy, fiction, Heads Will Roll, Horror, Middle of the Night, Small Town Horror, The Drowning House, The Summer of Horror, We Used to Live Here
Isn’t this just the perfect season for all those gripping and terrifying ‘beach’ reads! Put your cosy romances aside momentarily and instead give yourself a serious case of the heebie jeebies by joining in with The Summer of Horror.
The Summer of Horror is an event brought to us by the wonderful Books Bones and Buffy. I’ve been a little off course with my events for the past couple of years and in fact just missed the most recent Wyrd and Wonder fantasy event that I’m absolutely kicking myself about, but no worries, I’m totally calm, there’s always next year.
So, The Summer of Horror is a fairly relaxed event, take a look at what titles you have, read them, review them, chat with other bloggers (if you’re on twitter I was thinking to use #SummerofHorror). I can do this! There may also be a few other related events during the three months of ‘horror’. – watch the Books/Bones/Buffy space for more on that.
What horror books do I already have on my shelves:
Small Town Horror by Ronald Malfi (review for this to follow soon). The clue is in the title!
Five childhood friends are forced to confront their own dark past as well as the curse placed upon them in this horror masterpiece from the bestselling author of Come with Me.
***
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer – They say this is very chilling. Fingers crossed that ‘they’re’ right.
Get Out meets Parasite in this eerily haunting debut and Reddit hit—soon to be a Netflix original movie starring Blake Lively—about two homeowners whose lives are turned upside down when the house’s previous residents unexpectedly visit.
***
Middle of the Night by Riley Sager – I love a book where things ‘lurk’
In the latest jaw-dropping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager, a man must contend with the long-ago disappearance of his childhood best friend—and the dark secrets lurking just beyond the safe confines of his picture-perfect neighborhood.
***
Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan – Mystery? Horror? Colour me happy.
A crackling mystery-horror novel with big-hearted characters and Southern charm with a bite, Bless Your Heart is a gasp-worthy delight from start to finish.
***
The Drowning House by Cherie Priest – haunting and atmospheric *cackles with sheer delight*
From award-winning author Cherie Priest comes a deeply haunting and atmospheric horror-thriller that explores the lengths we’ll go to protect those we love.
***
Heads Will Roll by Josh Winning – I had to – just look at that cover, how could I possibly resist?
Willow’s worst nightmare was being cancelled. But the woods of Camp Castaway might destroy more than her reputation.
***
That’s what I’m planning – and maybe I have a couple of backlist titles that I could also include – but that needs further investigation so watch this space.
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
4 June 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Books, fiction, Lucy Foley, Mystery, The Midnight Feast
My Five Word TL:DR Review : I Absolutely Loved This One
I’ve read a few of Lucy Foley’s books now and really enjoy her writing and imagination and I think she has absolutely nailed the whole Agatha Christie, whodunnit, plenty of red herrings, leading you a merry old dance type of vibe. This is my favourite by her so far.
I don’t want to over elaborate on the plot because wild horses can’t drag any spoilers from me. Nope. But, I will say, this revolves around the grand opening of a lush vacation/spa/hotel known as the Manor. No expense has been spared for the opening weekend, the guestlist has been vetted, the food is going to be sumptuous, the wine and cocktails will flow, the infinity pool will be infinite and the verdant lawns will terminate in a view of the sparkling ocean beyond. Even the weather is playing ball, well, it’s probably a little too hot if anything. What could possible go wrong?
Well, firstly, the locals are not necessarily happy with this new project. People are getting pushed out of business, footpaths have been fenced off and even the beach, now only accessible via a path on the hotel’s land, has been sequestered, although the locals can still reach it by boat.
Secondly, hugging the grounds is an old forest that practically bristles with superstitious lore. This is the sort of forest with ancient trees and plenty of dark secrets. Do not offend the Birds.
The owners, the staff and some of the guests have secrets and hidden agendas.
On top of this, we have a journal, written over summer 15 years earlier. This definitely makes for very interesting reading.
What did I love about this one. In a nutshell, this worked for me on every level. We have a strange mix of unlikable and likable characters and a number of narrators to tell the story. Eddie, who works at the Manor washing pots. Francesca, the owner of the estate who inherited everything from her grandparents. Bella, a guest staying in one of the woodland hutches, Owen, the architect and husband of the owner. And, of course, the journal. Which I won’t say more about.
The pacing is really good. Foley really cranks up the pressure for everyone. The staff are running around like headless chickens, Francesca is trying to maintain a sense of inner serenity that isn’t really working, Owen is sneaking about, following his wife or trying to slope off for some alone time to surf and Bella is having second thoughts and feeling very anxious about being at the Manor. Meanwhile the Journal is telling us a darker story belonging to the Manor and slowly revealing the events that took place towards the end of a long lazy summer. It’s all leading up to something.
I loved the story. The author totally fooled me and I hold my hands up and readily admit that I had things wrong. And, I love that.
And, the midnight feast – this is when everything goes to hell in a handcart. What a satisfying conclusion.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, it was so enjoyable in fact I finished it in a day and a half and I will say I now have regrets because I’m sorry that the read has ended.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 5 of 5 stars
Books and travelling with Lynn 